Fine Gael has stepped up its attacks on the Labour Party, with Michael Noonan claiming its plans would cost each family in the State an extra €1,300 a year in taxes and charges.

He acknowledged that Fine Gael's plans would result in each family in the country paying €1,785 extra in taxes and charges by 2014 - but he claimed Labour's plans would add an extra €1,361 per family on top of that.

Earlier, Eamon Gilmore had said people were going to be badly hit by austerity measures that Fine Gael would introduce.